ART HISTORY 2010! This is how the back of the 2010 GASSER Reunion event shirt came into being. If you've collected any of the past Reunion shirts, you know that the back of the shirt always says PARTICIPANT. I'd always been taken with t-shirts that said in large capital letters on the back, STAFF, SECURITY or PHOTOGRAPHER. For the 1st GASSER Reunion t-shirt, I put PARTICIPANT on the back. To me, the word represented all those who participated in making the event a success. That included racers, rodders, vendors, track and magazine staffs, the photographers and most of all, the spectators. Often, large Roman numerals were placed below the word to signify the number of the event. This year, it would have, should have and could have been 'IX'. But something happened on the way to the screen printer.
Ohio's Don Moyer has supported the event above and beyond the call of duty. He displayed his Rebel Reaper Willys at the Cleveland Autorama and has spread the word to all his friends and fellow racers. So, instead of the expected Roman numeral, I decided to thank Don by putting his car on the back and above our standard PARTICIPANT. I had the car artwork from the front of Don's GASSER Nationals shirt so it seemed an easy design change. All we had to do was put the old Front image on the new Back.
I emailed artist Earl Kendall a rough draft image of my idea. I told him that the only thing that concerned me was what color to use for the word 'participant'. Earl emailed me a sample sheet of my design with 9 different colors. He expected me to choose one that I liked and tell him the corresponding number. Instead, when I saw all 9, with their numbers, I saw a complete design that rivaled Andy Warhol's 'Campbell Soup Cans' artwork. His accidental choice of 9 colors was also a subtle reminder that this was indeed the 9th Annual GASSER Reunion. It said all I wanted and more.
I don't know what Earl thought when I emailed him what I wanted to do with his sample sheet. Being a Christian gentleman, he didn't tell me I was crazy, he simply turned his immense talents to giving me a work of art.
The result is what you see above and what you'll see full-size on the back of the 9th Annual GASSER Reunion t-shirts. If you're at the event when you get your shirt, have artist Earl autograph it. Don't look for an Andy Warhol look-alike. Earl will be the normal looking artist-guy hanging out in the club tent.
THANKS EARL!
Ernest
